Taiwan is taking a major step to address its growing labor shortage by planning to open its very first overseas recruitment center and the Philippines will be the starting point. Expected to launch in the first quarter of 2026, the center will allow Taiwanese employers to directly hire Filipino workers without going through private brokers. This move is seen as a game-changer, aiming to simplify the hiring process while protecting migrant workers from excessive placement fees.
According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor (MOL), the recruitment center will initially focus on industries facing serious manpower gaps, such as hospitality and commercial port operations. Even before the center officially opens, a special MOL task force will begin accepting applications from Taiwanese employers starting January 1, 2026.
The recruitment center will be located at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines, in Manila, Su Yu-kuo, an official with the MOL's Workforce Development Agency (WDA), said at a news conference in Taipei.
The government also plans to hold briefings with eligible industries to ensure employers fully understand how the new system works. However, officials clarified that due to administrative procedures, newly hired workers may not arrive in Taiwan until after the first quarter of 2026.
One of the most significant benefits of this new system is the reduction of financial burden on migrant workers. Lydia Huang, director general of the Workforce Development Agency, explained that the center will enable direct government-to-government coordination. Under this setup, key expenses such as airfare, medical examinations, and visa fees will generally be shouldered by Taiwanese employers instead of the workers themselves—an important shift from the current broker-heavy model.
The Philippines is just the beginning. The MOL revealed plans to establish similar recruitment centers in other major labor-sending countries, including Indonesia and Thailand. This initiative aligns with Taiwan’s broader labor reforms announced in October, which also include conditions for hiring workers beyond existing quotas such as raising local employees’ monthly salaries by NT$2,000 and limiting additional foreign hires to less than 10% of a company’s workforce.
Facing challenges like a low birth rate, an aging population, and a shortage of skilled workers, Taiwan is increasingly turning to overseas talent. The upcoming recruitment center signals not only a practical solution for employers, but also a more ethical and worker-friendly approach to migrant employment—one that could reshape Taiwan’s labor landscape in the years to come.
